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Topic: What to do with JVR (Read 6041 times)

So... that deadline, a draft, and a free agency season have come and gone, still no trade.

Recently asked the chances JvR finishes the season with the Leafs, Mirtle offered: "I'm going to go out on a relatively thick limb here and say 95-per-cent chance... you don't dump a 30-goal guy who's been a key piece of a dangerous power play for years for futures in the middle of a season where you feel you have a chance to do something. If that means he walks for nothing in the summer, he walks."

This seems, to me, dumb, especially since he's floating the idea that they'll trade Leivo for the 4th or just let him sit out the season and leave this summer as a UFA.

Mirtle: "I'm going to go out on a relatively thick limb here and say 95-per-cent chance... you don't dump a 30-goal guy who's been a key piece of a dangerous power play for years for futures in the middle of a season where you feel you have a chance to do something. If that means he walks for nothing in the summer, he walks."

The math here is a bit fuzzy. 'Nothing' is true in the sense that when you tally up the roster of assets at the end of the season, you get nothing.

Nothing in this case is also:- JvR scoring ~25-30 G for the 2017-18 season*- Opening up cap space of 4.25M + 0.612M to be spent elsewhere- Opening opportunity for Kapanen, Grundstrom, Johnsson

* JvR and Bozak, by extension, guarantees that the Leafs have a dangerous (in both directions) third line option for a playoff drive; What is the opportunity cost in losing both of them at the deadline? How does it affect the lineup of youngsters when they see good soldiers for the team sold off for zero current impact?

It seems more and more like they're just going to hold onto him. Which is either a sign that they're willing to just let him walk or that they'll trry to sign him which is then a sign that they're more or less committed to trying to win with some version of their current defense.

I don't really get the "Trade JVR/Try to win" dichotomy though. You could trade JVR and, whether it comes internally via someone like Leivo or Kapanen or via a separate deadline deal, still have most of what you want going forward.

Hanging onto JVR and letting him walk seems less like a statement about trying to win and more like a timidity to make bold, necessary moves because you're afraid of rocking the boat.

This seems, to me, dumb, especially since he's floating the idea that they'll trade Leivo for the 4th or just let him sit out the season and leave this summer as a UFA.

For those who don't know, Leivo needs to play 39 more NHL games this season or he becomes a Group 6 UFA after this season. Those are players 25 years or older with at least three professional seasons who haven't played 80 NHL games.

If we do look at re-signing JVR, Pierre LeBrun said the other day that Oshie's 8-year, $5.75mil AAV contract would likely be the basis:

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Today on Insider Trading, Pierre LeBrun of the TSN and The Athletic made some comments related to the Leafs’ biggest ticket pending UFA, James Van Riemsdyk.

Here is what he said:

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There haven’t been any serious discussions, I’m told, on [JVR’s contract], but certainly some dialogue, and what I’m hearing is that I think that JVR would be willing to do an 8 year contract if it meant that it’s more cap friendly to the Toronto Maple Leafs… Think about TJ Oshie’s deal in Washington… JVR does not want to leave Toronto, does not want to leave the good ship.

Right. It's more nuanced now than it was previously, pre-Matthews, when it would've been really easy to trade JvR for a 'better' return.

I don't think it's more nuanced really. If you're not planning him re-signing him you should still trade him. True, you've stupidly let his value dwindle for no real reason but, you know, selling your magic beans for a nickel is still better than nothing.

The Leafs aren't under any pressure to win this year and the likelihood that JVR makes the difference there is pretty small regardless. Which isn't even to say that the Leafs could be both a buyer and a seller in that capacity. You could trade JVR for assets and then use those or other assets to acquire something that would be a JVR-replacement of sorts but who wouldn't have an almost immediate expiry date.

I don't think it's more nuanced really. If you're not planning him re-signing him you should still trade him. True, you've stupidly let his value dwindle for no real reason but, you know, selling your magic beans for a nickel is still better than nothing.

The Leafs aren't under any pressure to win this year and the likelihood that JVR makes the difference there is pretty small regardless. Which isn't even to say that the Leafs could be both a buyer and a seller in that capacity. You could trade JVR for assets and then use those or other assets to acquire something that would be a JVR-replacement of sorts but who wouldn't have an almost immediate expiry date.

In principle, I agree with all that you're saying. I don't think the Leafs see JvR that way though. He's the bird in hand and they genuinely like what he (and Bozak and Komarov) currently offers (hence the asking price). Management also seems to value the experience of having their actual core go through extended playoff drives and letting them know they have the Front Office's trust and belief.

To me, that all means they won't let JvR go mid-season unless the return coming back yields the same or better impact to the current roster + future benefits. He's a very well liked member of the team, is a great influence for players learning how to take care of their bodies for the long grind, blah blah blah.

His trade value is decreasing and our return requirement is increasing.

How do you figure that?

The "return requirement" on the team's best players at the start of the rebuild (summer 2015?) was "something that gets them a chance at a core piece" -- a top prospect, a relatively high pick, whatever.

Well, two years on the Leafs have all the core forwards they need (JvR is not one of them), a decent group of defensemen (though not a 1D -- which JvR would never get you anyway), and a goalie.

The "return requirement" now, on all the expiring contracts, should be picks and prospects that might fill out the team's depth. 2021-22's Conner Brown or Carrick -- a cheap, good NHLer to replace the good NHLers you'e got who are no longer cheap.